Bengaluru reports highest dowry-related cases in India in 2023

Bengaluru recorded the highest number of dowry-related cases in India in 2023, with a total of 1,013 complaints, surpassing the combined total of 18 other metro cities, according to the latest data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). In stark contrast, Patna reported just 104 cases, while Lucknow had only 19.

Also read: Bengaluru tops India's cybercrime chart with over 17,600 cases in 2023

Robust network of women's rights organizations

Police officials reportedly suggest that the surge in complaints may not indicate an increase in dowry crimes, but rather a growing willingness among women to report abuse. This trend, they explain, can be attributed to the city’s robust network of women's rights organizations and heightened awareness among working women, which has empowered more victims to come forward.

Two recent dowry-related deaths in Bengaluru have intensified the focus on this issue. In one case, N. Poojashri, a resident of Bagalagunte in northwest Bengaluru, was found dead by suicide at her home. Her husband, J. Nandish, a private company employee, has been detained. Poojashri, originally from Shivamogga, reportedly suffered repeated dowry-related abuse from her husband and mother-in-law.

Another tragic incident involved Shilpa, a 27-year-old tech professional, whose body was found hanging at her home in Suddaguntepalya, South Bengaluru. Her family alleges that ongoing dowry harassment led to her death. Shilpa had been married to Praveen, a former software engineer, for two and a half years, and the couple had an 18-month-old child.